The Blackhawks lost to the Nashville Predators in a shootout on Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena. It was a closely contested game that went the way of the home team in the shootout.
Nashville had a 1-0 lead early when Steven Stamkos scored a power-play goal in the first period. That was the only marker of the opening frame and the Preds had that lead at intermission.
6:30 into the second period, Connor Bedard tied things up. This new-look first line of Bedard in the middle of Tyler Bertuzzi along with Frank Nazar seemed fun before the game and they lived up to it.
Alec Martinez gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead just over a minute after Bedard tied it and that top forward line was on the ice. Bertuzzi collected his second point of the night on the goal (Seth Jones had the other assist).
Having a 2-1 lead at second intermission is better than losing but this Blackhawks team isn’t built to hold leads like some other squads in the NHL. That was proven in the third period once again.
With 3:03 left in regulation, Filip Forsberg knotted the game up at two. This goal forced the game to go to overtime where nobody would score and a shootout was required.
In the shootout, Gustav Nyquist, Ryan O’Reilly, and Steven Stamkos all scored and the Preds took the game. The Hawks earned a point but they couldn’t hang on in regulation or get it done in the extra time. Their road losing streak is now at seven.
One positive to take away from this contest is the new top line. In addition to having two assists, Bertuzzi finished the game with five shots on goal. Bedard had three (including the goal) and Nazar had six. It was a big night for them. There is something to build on here going forward.
Having a consistent line for Connor Bedard has been an issue for the Blackhawks this season. His offensive numbers have skyrocketed since Anders Sorensen took over as head coach but now he needs to stick on a line. This may be it.
In goal, Arvid Soderblom was incredible for Chicago. He was brilliant in the entire game but shined extra in the third period and overtime. He made a season-high 39 saves in the loss. At this point, it might be time to consider him as the main starter for this team.
Chicago will go from visiting one of the teams at the bottom of the Western Conference to hosting one of the top teams from the Western Conference. The Vegas Golden Knights will be ready for a matchup at United Center on Saturday night.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Related: Blackhawks’ Potential Returns From Hall & Donato Trades
